Keys' Saunders installed as top House Democrat

They can't quite caucus in a phone booth. But there was more than enough space for the 39 members of the House Democratic Caucus as they met in a third-floor room in the Capitol Tuesday to anoint their new leader.

Having lost five seats to Republicans in the election, Democrats formalized the choice of Rep. Ron Saunders of Key West as their leader, and Rep. Joe Gibbons, D-Hallandale Beach, is Saunders' No. 2 as minority leader pro tem. Gibbons said Democrats will offer policy alternatives, but they won't be obstructionists or make personal attacks.

"We're not going to throw rocks at people who can throw boulders at us. That doesn't make any sense," Gibbons said.

Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink rallied the Democratic troops, reminding them that they need to hold Republicans accountable and that she got 2.5-million votes in her close loss to Rick Scott in the race for governor. "I've been going around the state the past couple of weeks and I can't find anybody who voted for Rick Scott," Sink said as the caucus erupted in laughter.